Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

18 reviews

greenan26's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Suicide, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Suicidal thoughts

booksense's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Vomit, Police brutality, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, and Sexual harassment

spootilious's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.0

 

 

Read: July 17th, 2024
 Title: Lessons in Chemistry 
 Author: Bonnie Garmus 

Genre:  Historical Fiction 

Rating: 2/5
 Review: 

I have been contemplating how to review this for a few hours now. It’s difficult because I really enjoyed reading the book. It made me smile, cringe, and cry; though I think the ‘Laugh out Loud’ reviews are a bit farfetched. In fact, this novel wasn’t just heavy, it hit like a freight train (pun intended). 

I suppose my biggest conflict is that I really really like the message of the novel and the focus on social injustices. 

The issue then becomes all the things I didn’t like about the novel. 

The work was written well enough but Garmus switch so drastically from one injustice to another that I felt as if I were getting whiplash. She moved back and fourth so much that I don’t think any one subject got as much attention as it deserved. The one focused on the most being Women Empowerment but it felt more like anti-men than pro-women… That being said, I am the type of woman that will ALWAYS choose the bear. Still, I think it would be nice to see a feminist store that builds its own ladder rather than using the destroyed men as stepping stones to empowerment… Cuz in the end it means we still need them… even if in a negative way. 

I found the dialog to often be condescending as well. Almost as if Garmus was throwing in ever intelligent sound word she could find. It felt forced. People of high intelligence can sound as brilliant as their IQ without sounding like a robot. 

The unapologetic and vulgar nature of the atrocities throughout the book is both disturbing and refreshing. I’ve mentioned it in a rare review but I have to admire an author who can simply write a horrific act without defending or explaining it, it makes it hit harder. 

That being said… There was a lot… and jumping from it to a ‘funny’ quip or one liner made the whole thing feel off putting… 

 

Overall I really enjoyed the read, just not the way it was written. I would recommend this to individuals who enjoy heavy reads/sad reads, drama, historical fiction that borders on fantasy, or a strong feminist tone. 

 

TBH I loved the show though. Very well done. 

QUOTES:
 “The librarian is the most important educator in school. What she doesn’t know, she can find out. This is not an opinion; it’s a fact.” 

“Imagine if all men took women seriously. Education would change. The workforce would revolutionize. Marriage counsellors would go out of business.” 

“Courage is the root of change—and change is what we’re chemically designed to do.” 

“Sometimes I think," she said slowly, "that if a man were to spend a day being a woman in America, he wouldn't make it past noon.” 

 

 

TW: Rape, Adultery, Religious bigotry, Racism, Feminism, Sexism, Animal harm, parental death, death of a child, death of a parent, pedophilia, sexual assault, sexual harassment, bombs, death threats, car accidents, suicide, domestic abuse, vomit, abandonment, mentions of abortion, alcoholism, drug use, blood, body shaming, bullying, child abuse, toxic relationships, stalking, slurs, gaslighting, grief, fatphobia, emotional abuse, classism, alcohol, animal cruelty, pregnancy, miscarriage, infidelity, emotional abuse, medical content. 

 

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Classism

chrysanthxmum's review against another edition

emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny and Grief

Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting

katlinstirling_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

I loved this book I’m not gonna lie. I loved the way it was written, I loved the characters and the storyline everything! Completely heartbreaking in parts and I was so angry with the sex discrimination and abuse towards women, I did actually throw the book a few times! I don’t care what anyone says this is a 5-star read to me!! ❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

sweill803's review against another edition

emotional inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Sexism

Moderate: Body shaming, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

bri_morgan's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Blood, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Hate crime, and Death of parent

Minor: Suicide and Pregnancy

bbmaan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Homophobia

wheelyautistic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Classism

scmiller's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cursing, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, Religious bigotry, Car accident, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Child death, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Blood, Vomit, Cannibalism, and Car accident